Resistance & Progress: 18 Progressive Policies for 2018

This policy platform is the result of learning firsthand what affects constituents in our districts. It takes our collective knowledge of neighborhoods, and many aspirational policies we’ve encountered in our work in the city that we hope to take on in the coming session. We dare to think big while still remaining grounded in the everyday needs of New Yorkers.

A Sanctuary City for All New Yorkers

We support policies that protect all New Yorkers from the threats of the Trump regime. We are a city of immigrants, where people of color, women, workers, and LGBTQ New Yorkers blazed a trail of freedom and dignity. We will not go back.

1.”Right to Counsel” for immigrants: Any immigrant facing deportation or detention in New York City should have a right to be provided with an attorney

Building a More Equal Economy

We will combat the growing income and wealth divide, which denies too many New Yorkers a fair chance. This means not just higher wages, but more economic democracy, where workers have more choices and control over their working lives.

2. Fair Work Week: Workers must have the right to advance notice of schedules, be protected from abusive scheduling, have access to full-time hours, “form an organization” and have a right to request flexibility.

3. Economic Democracy through Day Laborer Centers: Innovative models can give workers more power in their working lives and increase their access to safe and dignified jobs.

4. Living Wage 3.0: When the City provides businesses with subsidies, tax-breaks, or contracts, workers should earn more than minimum wage, get COLA adjustments, and have the right to organize.

5. Eliminate the Municipal Gender Pay Gap: The gender pay gap of 18 cents on the dollar for city employees must be closed through equitable career advancement and protections.

Protecting and Creating Affordable Housing in Livable Neighborhoods

Skyrocketing rents, harassment, and displacement threaten countless New Yorkers. We need new units, but we can’t just build our way out. We must do everything we can to strengthen tenant protections, preserve every affordable unit, require more and deeper affordability, and meet our shared responsibility for housing homeless New Yorkers. And we must plan together – as a city, and as communities – for a future of truly livable, inclusive neighborhoods.

6. Invest in Public Housing: The City and our partners must fully fund New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) $17 billion capital deficit and prevent privatization.

7. Required and Permanent Affordable Housing: We must expand our tools to require affordable housing in all new multifamily developments and maximize the use of Cityowned land.

8. Reduce Homelessness: We must provide a safe shelter system and a better pathway to housing for homeless New Yorkers through public housing, affordable housing, and permanent rental assistance.

Reforming Policing and the Criminal Justice System

We have come a long way from the days of 700,000 stop-and-frisks a year that weredramatically over-concentrated in communities of color. But we still have a long, long way to go if we believe that black and brown lives matter and if we want a city of genuinely equal justice for all. This will require strong efforts at both advancing police reform and accountability and reforming our criminal justice system.

9. Right to Know Act: Improve community-police interactions by requiring officers to identify themselves and the reason for the interaction, and obtain fully informed consent before searches.

10. Close Rikers: Implement the proposals of the Lippman Commission to cut short-term incarceration in half, re-design detention in modern, borough-based, community jails, and close Rikers for good.

Public Education to give Every Child a Real Chance

New data shows overwhelmingly that investments in early childhood and public education are essential to social mobility. We will help make sure all children in New York City — from birth to college — show up ready for school, prepared to succeed in the evolving economy.

11. Universal Childcare from Birth to Four: Extend access to child-care for all from birth to four, and create a “Birth to Four” pathway that supports and services
families in need.

12. End Youth Hunger: 1.1 million public school students must have access to breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, year-round, because children can’t learn on an empty stomach.

13. Integrate Public Schools and Provide Culturally Responsive Education: Adopt and implement a comprehensive plan to reduce school segregation, and increase diversity and inclusion.

14. After School for All: 1.1 million public school students must have after-school programs to provide enrichment and adult supervision so young people remain safe until parents come home from work.

15. Free and Strong CUNY: CUNY is a vehicle of upward mobility and opportunity. Students must have access to higher education without barriers. CUNY must have the resources to help them succeed.

Aggressively Combating Climate Change

Our planet faces an existential crisis, and our most vulnerable communities will suffer the gravest consequences of climate change. We must transition rapidly to 100% clean energy and a more resilient and sustainable city.

16. Climate Works for All: NYC must mandate strong energy-reduction retrofits for large buildings, which produce most of NYC’s greenhouse gas emissions, with labor standards to ensure good jobs.

Accessible Public Transportation for All

Our transit system must work for all communities – including those currently facing long commutes, unaffordable fares, and crumbling physical infrastructure. Low- and moderate income communities deserve access to affordable and well-connected transportation, including walkable, bikable, livable streets.

17.MoveNY to Fund Public Transportation & Reduce Congestion: Adopt a fairer tolling system for bridges and tunnels to reduce traffic and pollution, and increase revenue to expand public transport.

Renewing our Democracy

In recent decades, we have badly neglected our democracy as a vehicle for coming together, across difference, to solve problems and achieve common goals. The remarkable outpouring of energy to oppose the Trump regime offers an opportunity for a radical expansion of civic engagement. We will channel that energy to renew our democracy.

18. Pre-Citizen Voting: Enfranchise approximately one million New Yorkers by expanding the right to vote in local elections to immigrants with Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status.